


Victoria

by Constantbellpepper



Category: The Misfits (Podcast), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: But my chapters are long, Have a nice day, I Blame Tumblr, I literally have like two week hiatuses, I take long breaks sorry, first fic, mostly...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 17:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17708459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Constantbellpepper/pseuds/Constantbellpepper
Summary: As the Misfits wander through the streets of Melbourne they come across a singing angel, what will become of this angel?





	1. Chapter 1

The boys chattered in lively voices as they walked down the streets of their new city. Cam still hadn’t quite moved in, but they decided to actually spend this Christmas together. Even the Americans, Matt and Swagger, had decided to stay at the Misfits House to chill with their friends for the holidays. Their families had been reluctant at first, but once they had witnessed the friendship and brotherhood the boys shared, they agreed just this once to let them be with a little family of their own.

Cameron was in the lead, leading his group of _Misfits_ around in a true Dad-like fashion. When he stopped to peer at an old Cathedral across the street, the boys chattered loudly behind him, but when he jogged across the street and they quickly caught up they were quiet. They stood in front of the old arched doorway waiting for Cam to do something, anything in fact but he just stood there.

“Cam, why are we going to church?” Toby asked.

“Yeah, I thought you said you gave up your Catholic ways when you were younger.” Swagger added.

“Do we have to go in? I don’t wanna waste any holiday time in  _ there _ .” Mason whined. Toby silenced him when Cameron turned around.

“I know none of you boys, including myself, are super religious anymore, but this reminds me of when I was a kid, we’ll just pop in for a bit they already held the service anyways, there probably won’t be anyone in there.” Cam explained. The boys reluctantly agreed. Mason started up the lively conversation again, and as the door slammed with a loud bang behind them, they went silent once more and listened to the echo.

Someone was singing. Matt recognized the melody immediately,  O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, his mother used to sing it when she went caroling. The boys' attention snapped to Jay, to see if he was the source of the beautiful singing. Cameron found his eyes searching the archways filled with golden murals for an angel singing a Christmas carol, he found none.

That was until Mason pointed out someone sitting on the steps near the pulpit; a girl.

“ _ O come, o come Emmanuel _

_ To free your captive Israel _

_ That mourns in lonely exile here _

_ Until the Son of God appear..”  _ The girl sung. She had dark hair that almost perfectly matched the dark wooden benches that lined the floor. The boys just stared at her. The echo of the room made her voice sound like she was singing with four other people. The boys sat in one of the benches near the front as quietly as possible, the pastor stared at them from the corner smiling at the young singing woman.

“ _ Rejoice, rejoice o Israel-”  _ The girl’s voice cut off as her eyes opened and her face burned with a flush as she noticed her captive audience. She looked awkwardly down at the floor, and as Toby and the other boys were about to pipe in to tell her to continue, the next lyric of the song floated into the air in a voice that Toby not only recognized, but it also made him shiver.

“ _ To you shall come Emmanuel…”  _ Jay’s voice sounded from beside Mason, and Matt just looked at Swagger with awe, Jay’s brown eyes were closed and he held the note out. And the girl stood up staring at Jay and she continued the song. Jay joined her, in the traditional Latin lyrics that Swagger was used to hearing.

“ _ Veni, veni, Emmanuel _

_ Captivum solve Israel _

_ Qui gemit in exilio _

_ Privatus Dei Filio…”  _ Jay and the girl sung, their voices reaching the rafters and the echo surrounding them in a holy sound like the boys had never heard before. When the song was over the pastor walked over to the girl and smiled brightly at her.

“You should join our choir. You're quite good, that boy too.” The mentioned. The girl nodded gratefully but excused the offer. The Pastor thanked her and she walked over to where Jay and the boys now stood. She couldn’t have been any older than Mason, or any younger. But it was her eyes that stood out the most, they were a deep brown like Jay’s but when she stepped into a beam of sunlight they turned almost a liquid gold. Cameron was captivated by her eyes. She didn’t say anything for a moment, staring into Cam’s sky blue eyes, but then Jay tapped her arm lightly and they spoke for a moment. Cam wasn’t listening the echoes of her song were bouncing around in his head.

He only perked up when the door of the cathedral slammed and Toby’s hand was on his shoulder.

“Cam? You okay dude?” Toby asked softly as the boys shuffled out of the bench.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking.” Cameron said shrugging off Toby’s hand and heading towards the other boys waiting by the exit.

“About what?” Toby asked.

“Nothing important.” Cameron responded automatically. Toby still dimly wondered but he wouldn’t pry, hoping whatever his friend was thinking about he would mention it later.


	2. Chapter 2

The boys wandered through the city for a few more hours eating at a small diner and visiting a record store, which Toby bought a Patsy Cline album to gift to Cam and Matt bought himself three of the Gorillaz albums to hang on the walls of his room. Mason didn’t buy anything because he refused to spend any money unless something was  _ extra cool. _ In which Cameron lectured him on the meaning of the word nostalgia which Mason ignored and instead danced around the isles like the idiot he was. Eventually they got back into the car and Toby drove them home.

It wasn’t until after a few beers that the opinions of the singing girl they had met actually started to come out.

“I thought she was really good. But not as good as Jay of course!” Toby commented not touching his first beer after a few sips.  _ Someone around these boys had to be sober. _

“I agree to that.” Matt spoke up. The other boys mumbled their agreements before Jay turned to Cameron.

“What'd you think Cam?” Jay asked quietly  his brown eyes staring at the tall man. Cam took another sip of his beer,  _ he could  really go for an old fashioned right now. _

“About her singing, or about her?” Cameron retorted trying to change the subject.

“You have other opinions on her?” Toby commented sounding interested.

“She had really pretty eyes.” Cam said blankly staring at the wall bringing the beer back up to his lips. The boys pestered him for his opinion but he kept quiet. He secretly wondered if she sang at the cathedral everyday. He wondered if those rafters always held the  echoes, or if they were silent most days.

 

It was late into the night when all the boys had gone to bed that the song started to play throughout  the house, at first all the boys speculated that it was stuck in their heads, but when they ventured downstairs they found Mason with his Bluetooth speaker, playing a recording that he'd  taken when she was singing. And Jay said to post it on their socials, but Swagger disagreed.

“Whoever she was, she deserves to have her privacy, if we see her again  we'll ask her if it's ok to post. Agreed?” 

“Why are you blowing this so out of proportion?” Matt questioned. 

“ _ Because  _ if anyone knows the gift of being able to keep their privacy intact, it's  me.” Swagger shot back. Everyone was silent after that. And they all slowly went back to their bedrooms, but only  after Mason had sent the recording to their group chat. It wasn't long after that they all fell asleep.

 

In a few days they had forgotten all about the singing girl, but after a party at the Misfit House. And maybe after a bit of smoking and drinking the boys crashed out at 2 am. And Cameron thought it was one of those crazy fever dreams, the ones he had when he got incredibly sleep deprived, but it  _ felt _ different. Looked different too, it wasn’t as chaotic, it was actually more peaceful.

Cameron was back in the cathedral he and the boys had visited four days ago, but this time instead of having a nice mix of gold, gray, and dark brown as the color palette of the place the entire structure was filled with gold, the arches were gold, the benches, even the sunlight shining through the four stained glass windows. Filled the room with a series of shimmering golden lights on either side of Cameron. No one was here with him though, not even the priest. Cameron called out into the silent building.

“Hello? Anyone here?” His voice echoed back to him from the golden and white ceiling, still depicting the images of angels, but they looked melted. The paint smeared, their bodies mutilated and blurry. Cameron’s eyes flicked from each depiction until he found an angel that when he stared into its brown eyes, it blinked. Cameron blinked too, clearing his vision and looking up again, a wide white smile grew on the angel’s face and it’s golden wings expanded and it floated lightly to the floor. The smile reminded Cameron of the Cheshire Cat, only the angel was missing the yellow eyes, until she stepped into one of the beams of light and her eyes became their own stunning shade of gold. Cameron took a step back when the angel reached out to him, he stuttered and cleared his throat.

“Who are you, why are you here? Wait, why am I here?” Cameron questioned, the angel’s smile grew, so wide that it looked like it caused a strain to her face. And to Cameron’s surprise, and only hearing his own voice echo back to him throughout the building. The angel spoke.


	3. Chapter 3

“You know who I am Cameron.” The Angel stated plainly, as if Cameron should know exactly who was standing in front of him. 

“No I don’t, I’m sorry.” Cameron said, furrowing his brow. The Angel’s smile faded, falling from her lips like the paint beginning to drip from the high ceiling.

“You don’t recognize me?” The Angel questioned, taking a few more steps towards Cameron, who backed up. He took in the Angel’s details, her silvery hair shining in the light, the irises of her gold eyes flickering like a heartbeat. She took more steps towards Cameron, her bare feet padding on the golden floors. Cameron looked down at his shoes, confusion hit him again, his Converse, the ones he’d worn on his vacation to Bali, were trashed. Caked in mud and scuffed, the laces weren’t a nice white color they were beige, like they’d aged in the sun. Cameron always took good care of his clothes, _ why were his shoes so dirty _ ? Cameron’s thoughts cut off, the angel’s hand was on his shirt collar.

“I really have no clue who you are.” Cameron apologized. The Angel wasn’t smiling anymore, her eyes became a deep gold, a molten color.

“You _ should  _ know me, have you forgotten already?” She snarled. Lifting Cameron up with one arm, with a surprising amount strength for someone who looked dainty.

“May- maybe, you know, if you told me your name I migh-” Cameron attempted to suggest.

“Shut up!” The Angel screamed, raising him higher from the floor, slamming his back into the pulpit. Cameron cried out, the cry bounced back from the peeling ceiling. “You should know me.” She stated, voice quiet again. Her harsh gaze met Cameron’s. Pain was shooting up Cameron’s spine the wood pressing into his back as her grip became tighter.

“But I-” Cameron tried speaking again, putting his hands on the angel’s trying to pry off her grip. But it was like her hand was made of stone. 

“You need to remember Cameron. Or it won’t just be my echoes screaming through this holy place, the echoes will be yours.” The Angel whispered. Her grip moved from his collar, to his throat, one hand easily making it hard from him to breathe. The ceiling was turning black, the whole world around him chipping and peeling like it was on fire. Murals of angels becoming ash.

“You- I can’t- stop-” Cameron muttered. “Let me go.” Cam begged. The Angel stared him down as the black trickled into the corners of his vision. And as the light slowly faded, her cat-like smile returned.

 

Someone was shaking him, Cameron sat up, back pressed to the bed frame, all the boys stood in his room, in their pajamas. Toby let go of Cameron’s shirt, standing back next to Swagger and Matt.

“Dude are you okay?” Matt asked.

“What?” Cameron said, in a voice that was only half interested.

“You were screaming in your sleep.” Jay said quietly, rubbing his eyes.

“I was?” Cameron’s eyes snapped up to meet Mason’s who looked back at him worried. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Cameron apologized. His hands shook from where they sat in his lap.

“Cam,” Toby asked softly. Cameron turned to him. “Why were you screaming?”

“It was nothing Toby I’m okay.” Cam said, he pulled off his duvet and got out of bed. His watch let him know it was still early in the morning, they had all only gone to sleep a few hours ago, Cameron changed out of his shorts and into a pair of fresh black jeans. Ryan wandered into the room.

“Fitz you okay man?” Ryan questioned. Cameron didn’t answer, pretending he was distracted by looking for either a fresh button down or jumper. He found a thick green jumper and threw it over his head, ignoring Ryan’s voice talking to him in the background.

“Cameron!” Swagger’s voice broke through Cam’s thoughts. He looked at him, blue eyes sparkling. “Answer our fucking questions dude. This isn’t funny.” 

“Do we need to call someone?” Matt blurted.

“No!” Cameron shouted, maybe louder than he intended. Ryan’s concern deepened. Fitz very rarely shouted. “Boys, I’m fine.” Cameron dismissed. They followed him to the bathroom door, where he wet down his bedhead, and brushed his teeth.

“Where do you think your going?” Ryan asked as Cam dried off his head.

“Out.” 

“No shit, but where?” Swagger asked.

“Nowhere important. I’ll be back eventually.” Cameron responded, putting on his watch. The boys moved towards his bedroom door, Cameron shoved his stuff into his pockets. Grabbed another coat off the hook by his mirror and put it on.

“I don’t think you should go out, not in the state your in.” Toby suggested softly.

“And I really don’t care what you think.” Cameron chided. His blue eyes meeting Toby’s. Ryan really wasn’t having this, Cam was clearly tired and upset about  _ something _ there was no way he was letting him leave.

“As your manager Cameron, I simply can’t let you leave. You should go back to sleep, everything will be better when you wake up, then maybe we could go out for breakfast.” Ryan said in a commanding tone. Cameron walked up to him, the boys moved out of the way standing behind Cameron, he stood taller than he normally did, using his height to submit his authority.

“Move out of my way Ryan.” Cameron demanded through a clenched jaw. Ryan didn’t move, at least not at first. Cameron’s usually light blue eyes looked stormy. Ryan sighed, moving to the side, Cameron jogged down the stairs, not looking at the sets of eyes watching him leave. He basically ran out the door slamming it behind him. The boys looked at each other.

“What did he dream about that scared him so badly?” Ryan questioned. The boys all shrugged, they still didn’t know.

No one but Cameron knew about the Angel haunting him.


	4. Chapter 4

Cameron walked down the bustling streets of Melbourne. Peering up at the murals plastered on the sides of small businesses, some well-preserved others covered in all forms of wild graffiti. A _jungle of paint,_ Matt had called it. The wind whipped at his coat, so Cam buttoned it up. Turning up his collar to battle against the cold. He got to the street across from the Cathedral when he stopped, not thinking about what he was doing and turned away heading to his favorite coffee shop instead.  
He sat down at a smaller table in the corner and ordered himself tea instead of coffee, and a croissant, he hadn't had breakfast after all, and the man did have his priorities, or rather his stomach did. He got multiple texts from Jay and Mason which he ignored, but it was Toby's message that caught his eye.  
_'If you want to be such a dick about us helping you let me know, and I'll just sit idly by next time'_  
Cameron sighed, what he'd said to Toby had really hurt him. Cameron picked up the phone. And typed the simple response.  
_'I didn't mean it'_  
Toby was silent for a few minutes. In which Cameron looked out to the building that had haunted his dreams just across the street. Something-or someone- was waiting there for him, he had a feeling. Cameron was just unsure if he wanted to make good on that feeling. The dark door mocked him, closed and probably locked, but Cameron had this itch that he just needed to see the inside, as a way to prove that the angel and his nightmare weren’t really waiting there in the golden arches. _A reassurance_ , Cameron told himself. _That’s all._ Cameron’s phone began to vibrate the table, he picked it up without checking the Caller ID. 

“Hello?” Cameron said, peering out the window as the lights changed at the four-way intersection.

“Cam we need to talk,” Toby’s voice replied through the phone speaker.

“I know, Toby I didn’t mean to be such a dick this morning. I was just scared.”

“If you were scared, you should have talked to us.”

“I know but-” Cameron tried.

“No! No! Listen. You can’t just act all tough around the boys, we’re your family asshole. You can trust us,” Toby shouted, voice breaking slightly at the end. “and if you didn’t mean what you said then why did you say it at all?” Cameron froze, how was he supposed to respond to that,  _ Toby was right _ . He’d been afraid, he loved the boys for always being there, but he couldn’t admit that.  _ Cameron was their leader, and he was afraid of being weak. He was their touchstone, not a victim. _ Cameron bit his lip. He could almost feel Toby’s anger wafting through the phone speaker.

“I’m sorry Toby,” Cameron trailed off. Toby said nothing, he just sighed.

“I know Cameron. I know,” Toby was quiet after that.

“I just wanted to be alone.” Cam said sadly looking down at the almost empty cup of tea on the table. Toby hummed a reply.

“Then be alone.” Cameron took the phone a bit away from his ear. “We’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.” Toby said, but it was barely a whisper to the blonde man on the other end. Cameron hung up. Setting the phone down and waving down the waitress for the check. He stared out the window as a few droplets of rain began to roll down it. Out at the old dark wooden door mocked him from across the street. Cameron cleared his throat, the check was placed on the table, Cameron ignored it, staring at the door. He turned his eyes away, deciding internally how’d he’d get rid of his fear. Cameron stood.

He was ready to hunt down his haunting angel.


	5. Chapter 5

Matt watched Toby as his brow furrowed and he began to text furiously. All the boys sat on the couches downstairs watching a random nature documentary. Matt wasn't paying much attention, neither was Swagger, both men sitting on their phones and just scrolling endlessly through their social medias. But Jay and Mason kept giggling and acting like the four year olds. Which didn’t surprise Matt as he knew they probably were the mental age of four.   


Toby looked back down at his phone, the way he'd been texting before made Matt think Toby was mad at whoever it was, but when he his sapphire eyes flickered across the screen Toby let out a sad sigh. Toby typed for a solid five minutes, pausing in between every other word, seemingly taking his time to get out what he was trying to say. But then he stood up. Giving the boys a quiet 'be right back' before going upstairs to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.    


Mason protested when Swagger snatched the remote from his hand and muted the tv. Matt gave him a look, they both had the same idea. Swagger winked. Toby was shouting at someone. Matt heard Fitz’s name, Toby’s voice went quiet, he sighed again. Toby was clearly upset, but he was Fitz’s best friend and no one could be mad at the tall man for very long. Fitz was akin to a freakishly tall puppy in Matt’s mind.

When Toby came back downstairs he just gave a short explanation, not really giving any spare details away.

“Cameron needed some time to himself after this morning. He’s instructed me not come and look for him.” Toby said. Swagger was about to speak up but Toby continued. “I call bullshit of course so I’m calling Ryan to pick us up in a few hours and we’ll hunt him down.”

“But isn’t the opposite of what he wants us to do?” Jay questioned.

“Yeah, but sometimes with Cam you have to show him your direct to get him out of his head.” Toby explained.

“Whatever you think is best Toby, you’ve known him the longest.” Swagger commented.

“Doesn’t mean he tells me everything,” Toby muttered, sounding pissed off.

“So we’re gonna like gang up and make him talk or what?” Mason asked, legs spread out on the floor, sleeves of his hoodie to big for his skinny arms, making him look like a toddler.

“Basically, but as friendly as possible.” Toby replied.

“Or we could beat the shit outta him…” Swagger joked, Toby gave him a horrified look. “With kindness?” Swagger added on.

“Or we could like kidnap him and like then force him to talk after we tie him to a chair in our basement!” Mason suggested happily.

“Yeah with a fucking potato sack over his face like in the movies.” Jay laughed.

“What the fuck is wrong with you boys?” Toby asked through his giggles.

“Even better we could just corner him, take him home with us and talk to him like a group of normal fucking human beings.” Matt finally interjected, even though the thought of Cam in a potato sack made him think of pranks he reserved for later.

“But where’s the fun in that?” Swagger said.

“There’s no fun in sanity Swags,” Mason laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

Cameron exited the cafe and quickly crossed the street, he stood for just a moment wondering if he should really go in. But before his logical fears could argue he strode in anyways. Cameron walked through the cathedral doors, hearing them shut softly behind him. He looked up, no one stood at the pulpit, the wooden benches lining the building all sat empty. And the large cavern of the structure lay quiet. Cameron stood awkwardly on the walkway, before he took a seat on the bench and stared up at the murals intently.

Just like in his dreams they depicted angels, but these angels weren’t as malicious looking as the others. They had soft round faces and bright eyes. Paint wasn’t dripping down from the ceiling like stalactites on the roof of a cave. And Cameron-even though in his mind he knew it was childish- watched the paintings as if only to confirm his fears, or completely disprove them. The paints were all earth tones, light browns and whites, even some deeper greens. It wasn’t the nakedness of the images that bothered Cameron, it was their frozen limbs, in Cameron’s mind they writhed, mocking him in demonic laughter that didn’t suit the cherubs they represented.

He watched them silently. The sound of a door opening drew his attention back to the pulpit, the priest stepped out, and a girl.  _ The same girl. _ She thanked the priest for something. And the old man noted his presence from across the room. Cameron stood, moving over to where they were standing at the head of the building. The girl turned to see who the priest was looking at. And got a look of recognition when she saw Cameron approach. She slipped something onto her left wrist. It shined in the light. The same color as the angel’s eyes. A bracelet. Thin gold chain with a gold leaf as a charm, the chain looked like a thin rope wrapping around her wrist. The priest continued their conversation.

“You mentioned an Aunt gave it to you?” He asked the girl.

“Yeah, one of the ones that got me into singing actually.” She explained, fiddling with the gold piece.

“I’m glad we could get it back to you.” The Priest said.

“I’m grateful you found it,” She thanked him.

“What did you say your name was?” The Priest asked, eyes meeting Cameron’s for a second.

“Alva,” She answered. The Priest nodded to her, nodded to Cameron and then walked back to the room they’d come from.

“You’re the girl.” Cameron started stupidly.

“ _ The _ girl?” Alva responded.

“Yeah- sorry. I don’t know if you remember me, I’m Cameron.” Cam said extending a hand, she shook it and moved back over to the front set of benches picking up her coat and pulling it halfway onto her shoulders.

“I do remember you.” The girl said, her dark eyes met Cameron’s. His mind flashed back to the angel’s angry eyes, her voice ripped through his mind. _ You don’t recognize me? _

“My friends said you were good at singing.” Cameron blurted. Trying to keep her here, he needed to know about his dream... _ But you didn’t just randomly ask someone whether or not they were affiliated with supernatural beings. _

“Thank them for me.” Alva said, pulling on her coat completely and fixing the collar. Cameron cursed internally.

“Where are you heading after this?” Cameron asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Why?” Alva asked suspiciously. Cameron stuttered. Not really having a reason that didn’t make him sound like a madman. “I’m kidding,” Alva smiled, nodding. Cameron’s worry shattered. “I really have nothing to do, I just needed to get my bracelet back. What about you?” She asked him.

“I was just in town.” He replied.

“Before noon?” She asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Early bird.” He retorted. Alva hummed. “You want to hang out around here, or I don’t know, maybe get coffee?” Cam suggested.

“I guess coffee would be nice considering I got straight out of bed and came here,” Alva said putting the strap of her stachel over her shoulder. “That is hoping you haven’t ate already?” She asked.

“No of course not,” Cameron lied.

They walked across to the cafe where Cameron had been not ten minutes before. The same waitress from before gave Cameron a weird look, she looked at Alva and raised an eyebrow, Cameron shrugged. The red-haired woman sat them down at a booth.

“What can I get you two today?” She asked in her bubbly voice.

“Coffee for me thanks.” Cameron said.

“Tea, and a scone.” Alva ordered. The red-haired woman nodded. They sat mostly in silence. Cameron stared down at his phone in his lap, the boys had been texting him frantically, he turned his phone on silent.

He didn’t need anything to distract him right now, he wanted to figure out who Alva was, without being creepy. Cameron needed to know why his subconscious chose her to represent the body of a twisted play on an angel.

They sat in silence toning out the other chatter of the people around them. Cameron wanted to say something, but he didn’t know how to relate to someone he’d hardly gotten to know. He thought of doing lightning rounds and was about to ask Alva her favorite color or genre of music but she spoke before he could.

“Do you like old stuff?” She questioned spreading jam on the second half of her scone.

“How old? And what do you mean by stuff?” Cam asked taking a sip off his coffee.

“Like from any era before-let’s say- 1970,” Alva said, taking a bite from his school.

“Music from the 60’s is pretty good.”

“I second that, the Beatles, amazing band!” Alva replied she took a big sip off her tea and leaned forward. “How would you like to see a bunch of old cool  _ stuff _ in the same building?” She questioned.

“Do you mean like a thrift shop or?” Cam asked.

“Better,” Alva replied.

“Of course, I was just at a record shop the other day with my friends, so we could stop there if you wanted,” Cameron suggested. “I’m sure they have old vinyls from the 60’s.”

“Even The Mamas and The Papas?” 

“Definitely!”


	7. Chapter 7

Cameron was directed by Alva three blocks down to the six story building. It was made of old brick with a long spiraling sets of fire exits on the sides. The building had a feeling in the air around it, maybe that was Cameron's paranoia kicking in again, he couldn't be sure. But as soon as they walked a young shorter man with quite the impressive goatee greeted the short girl. Cameron awkwardly shoved his hands in his pockets. He hated being taller than everyone sometimes, and his blonde curls made him stand out even more.

“Richie! I haven’t see you in ages, back from the States?” Alva asked as the man greeted her with a quick hug. Cameron looked around the entryway to the antique mall. There was a large mahogany archway off to his right and a series of at least ten glass shelving units filled with all sorts of abstract pieces of glass work and jewelry.

“It was nice to see you again Al,” The man’s voice pulled Cameron from his observing.

“You too Rich, is your old man upstairs?” Alva asked pointing to the wooden archway.

“Where he always is, you finally gonna buy the book?” He asked scratching his chin.

“Of course,” Alva said, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Who’s this?” Richard asked making eye contact with Cameron who opened his mouth to introduce himself, standing up just a little bit taller. Alva beat him to the introduction.

“My friend, his name is Cam!” Alva said excitedly, giving Cameron a wide smile. He returned it, even though he hadn’t known her long, he did like Alva, she was an interesting person. Quiet sometimes and other times she seemed to be on energy level akin to that of Mason when he was fueled by Jay antics. Cameron waved at the dark haired man, who nodded as if he was unimpressed.

“Quiet ain’t he?” Rich asked, again avoiding asking the taller man the question. Which slightly pissed Cameron off, but he remained silent. Cameron knew he’d inserted himself into Alva’s life, if he made things awkward or tense between himself and her friends then he would ruin his chances to get the answers he needed.

“Yeah well, he tells good stories. Plus it’s still early. We just had coffee,” Alva said. Rich hummed, as if suddenly jealous of Cameron. Cameron internally face-palmed.

“Why don’t we head upstairs now Alva,” Cameron suggested. She nodded, waving goodbye to Rich and leading the way up two flights of stairs. The building smelled of mold and sawdust. The carpet was a deep cyan blue and stained in mysterious colors. As they walked Cameron knew he had to say something. “You know he likes you right?” Cameron asked. Alva scoffed, holding a hand to her chest and turning around.

“No I had no idea!” She replied. “He’s had something for me for years, doesn’t mean he’s getting any,” Alva said turning onto the second flight of stairs.

“Isn’t that kind of ignorant though?” Cameron asked, in his mind Toby’s astonished voice asked him if he was _ really _ giving dating advice to a girl he’d just met.

“What do you mean, isn’t my choice whether I like him or not and if I choose to go out with him?” Alva retorted calmly, as if she’d had this conversation before.

“Technically, yes. What I’m saying is that it might be a bit ignorant to not even give him a chance,” Cameron explained, following closely at Alva’s heels.

“Yes, but I never liked him like that anyways, so why give a chance to someone when the feeling isn’t mutual? If there’s nothing on my end to give why even open the door, you know?” Alva explained finally reaching the last carpeted step.

“You’re right,” Cameron agreed. Alva cleared her throat standing with her arms spread out like wings, announcing loudly to Cameron, and probably half the block.

“Welcome to The Library!” 

Cameron’s eyes widen there were shelves upon shelves stacked as jam packed as they could be with books. Some were so faded and ripped that you couldn't even read the title. Their spines were well worn and most of the books, even the newer ones had yellow pages. Cameron approached a shelf and grabbed the first spine that caught his eyes. He flipped through the delicate pages and smell of old books drifted up, he always loved that smell, it reminded him of the old books his father kept in the house. He placed the red book back onto the shelf, turning to Alva who was leaning against his leg on the floor nose deep into a book.

“Why’d you bring me here?” He questioned, sitting on one of those rubber topped stools shaped like a box fan. Alva continued to lean against him, leather bag on the ground next to her folded legs.

“You seemed like a bookworm like me,” Alva explained, Cameron laughed.

“What gave it away?” He asked jokingly.

“You kept looking at the fucking ceiling,” She replied flipping the yellowed page.

“What the hell does that have to do with reading books?” He questioned suddenly confused. Alva didn’t answer, he wiggled his leg, she didn’t move, dark eyes flying across the pages, brow furrowed, short bangs falling into her eyes. “Alva?” Cameron said, she looked up.

“Oh nothing, you just must really like ceilings,” She shrugged turning back to her book. Cameron laughed again.

“Wh- what does that even mean!” He practically shouted. Alva shrugged again and they fell back into silence.

They sat for awhile, Cameron found his own book about WWII and war letters and memoirs, which absorbed his attention completely, until he felt the constant weight on his shins move. Alva stood and grabbing her bag.

“I’m going to find Rich’s Dad, he likes having visitors, you can explore if you want I know this place pretty well, I’ll find you eventually okay?” Alva said. Cameron nodded putting his war book back onto its place on the tall shelves. He strode around the bookshelves for a long time, picking up one about space that he thought Swagger would like, and one about older styles of fashion for Toby. He mockingly grabbed a kid’s book to give to Mason. He found another one filled with letters from wars or major events and scooped it into the growing pile in his arms. He found a basket that he put them in, it wasn’t the traditional plastic basket they had in normal supermarkets, it was woven and looked old but it was on a rack that said ‘For when you have too many books to carry’ so Cameron assumed this was its purpose. 

Cameron stopped looking at books and moved over to the long wall stacked high with old and strange paintings. Old movie posters and even vinyls. Cameron walked along it taking in each piece. 

But he came upon another archway, this one not as high up on the ceiling and carved straight into the drywall. He looked behind it, pieces of old furniture sat behind the opening. Curious Cameron walked further, a small childrens desk and dresser, with teal and white paint stood out in the corner. The rest of the furniture was all dark woods or painted in flaking gold. He walked by three hall trees all lined up, their stained faces and doorknobs almost begging him to open them, but he didn’t want to. 

After realizing he’d walked pretty far, he looked to his right expecting to see another opening in the wall, but there was none. Just more forgotten armchairs and tables piled onto each other. Cameron shivered, this part of the room was colder than the others. Cameron let out a single breathe, the quiet sound making more noise then the creaking floor. He turned to go back the way he came, in a cracked mirror he saw his reflection. Blue eyes staring right back. It scared him, next to the mirror an old oil painting of angels stood out, boldly with pastels colors against the moldy wood and shadows of the rafters. Cameron nearly jumped out his skin when he felt a warm hand on the arm holding the books.

“Jesus, I didn’t mean to give you a heart attack sorry!” Alva exclaimed as Cameron frantically turned around.

“H- how’d you get in here without me seeing you?” Cameron questioned, Alva pointed a bit further down from where they stood.

“There’s another entrance if you’d walked a bit more, it leads to the heart of the library and all the vinyls.” Alva explained, Cameron breathed deeply to calm his racing pulse. “Anyways, Mr. Lucio, Rich’s Dad, was happy to see me, and he gave me this!” Alva held up a fat gold key to show Cameron.

“Sounds like a nice bloke,” Cameron commented, he switched the basket to his left hand. “What’s it for?” He asked, Alva smiled deviously.

“You’ll have to follow me to find out,” She said setting a book with a colorful cover into the basket. “Trust me you don’t wanna miss it so hustle up!”

“Just because I have long legs doesn’t mean I walk faster,” Cameron said following close behind the girl as she walked down the hallway, and to a set of dark stairs.

“It should, anyways it’s a few floors up, but avoid the steps I tell you to.” She instructed, Cameron nodded following her up the first set of stairs. The air was musty and damp, up here the building was mostly comprised of wood instead of stone. The carpet had long since ended at the archway he’d come through but the wood looked as if the original carpeting had been torn out. And Alva let out a warning for the third step which Cameron easily avoided. She turned on the flashlight once they got to the third set of old stairs. 

Cameron followed the girl with his books in one hand, ascending up through the damp air on each creaking step, the light from Alva’s flashlight bouncing in front of them.


End file.
